by using scanning SQUID microscopy

The heavy electron superconductor URu₂Si₂ has been extensively studied since the transitions of its hidden order and superconducting state were reported by the specific heat measurement in 1985[1]. Recent studies of thermal conductivity[2] and optical Kerr measurement[3] on URu₂Si₂ have shown evidence of chiral d-wave superconductivity. The chiral d-wave order superconductivity has also been suggested by a theoretical calculation of the magnetic excitation spectrum[4]. A chiral superconductor is expected to show chiral edge current modes analogous to a topological insulator. In order to search for evidence of chiral superconductivity in URu₂Si₂, we will report a study of the local superconducting and local charge current states of URu₂Si₂ single crystals using a scanning SQUID microscope.
[1] T.T.M. Palstra et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 2727(1985).
[2] Y. Kasahara et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 116402(2007).
[3] E.R. Schemm et al., Phys. Rev. B 91, 140506(2015).
[4] H. Kusunose, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 81, 023704(2012).